


Anticipation Is Less Than Half The Fun

by LizBee



Category: Doctor Who
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2005-07-19
Updated: 2005-07-19
Packaged: 2017-10-24 00:02:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 576
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/256574
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LizBee/pseuds/LizBee
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"The whole universe doesn't come to a screeching halt just because the new Harry Potter book comes out, you know. That's strictly limited to Earth."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Anticipation Is Less Than Half The Fun

They aimed for central London at midnight; they actually arrived at three-thirty in the afternoon, somewhere near Acton.

"Not to worry," the Doctor said as they made their way towards the counter. "We've missed the crowds."

"The crowds were half the fun," Rose muttered.

The salesgirl gave her an amused look as she scanned the book. "Another one," she said.

"Oh … this is for my … little sister."

"Of course," the girl said.

Jack, on the other hand, gave her a charming grin as he slapped his book down, saying, "This one's for me."

"You too?" Rose asked.

"What, you think I don't read? These are childhood classics. Grew up with them. And," he added as they left the store, "genuine first editions are worth a fortune."

"Right. I should have guessed. What about you, Doctor? Not buying one?"

"I'll have you know, I've read the whole series four times. In three dimensions. Including the one where where Dumbledore turns out to have been evil all along. That version was rubbish, though."

As they returned to the TARDIS, Jack said, "Wait … isn't that the version everyone knows?"

Rose rolled her eyes and left them to it. She had a book to read.

Twenty-four hours later, she was still reading. The Doctor stopped by her room.

"You up for a quick trip to—"

"Later."

"'Later'? You don't even know what I was asking!" He leaned in the doorway and watched her read for a few minutes. "The whole universe doesn't come to a screeching halt just because the new Harry Potter book comes out, you know. That's strictly limited to Earth." He considered. "Well, and Karona V. The meta-lifeforms there have based their entire civilisation on human popular culture."

Rose looked up. "I bet all the other aliens beat them up and take their lunch money."

"Nah, only the humans. Actually, there was a funny misunderstanding about that in the twenty-third century. Great fun. Want to go see?"

"Later," said Rose, and returned her attention to her book.

The Doctor made his way back to the console room, where Jack was shaking his head, saying, "This all makes so much more sense now! I'm going to have to replace all my books!"

The Doctor turned around and walked out again.

A day later, Rose entered the console room, sniffling.

"You all right?" the Doctor asked, handing her a clean hankie.

"I never did trust that Snape fellow," she said. "And now I have to wait for the next one to come out…" She trailed off, giving the Doctor a pointed look.

"No," he said. "Absolutely not. The purpose of time travel is not to let you skip ahead in the Harry Potter books." Well, he amended mentally, it wasn't the only purpose, anyway. "Anyway, I can tell you how it ends. Harry turns out to be the last Horcrux, and he defeats Voldemort, and Jo Rowling spends the rest of her life writing moderately successful thrillers under the name Joanne R. Murray."

"You know," said Jack thoughtfully, "I've heard the Face of Boe would pay good money for a complete set of pristine signed first editions…"

For the second time in as many days, the Doctor fled his own console room.

At least, he thought, sooner or later, someone would figure out that the TARDIS library contained the complete series. And then it would be all over, bar the crying, and he could have some peace again.

end


End file.
